Everybody’s Equal
Patricia Hegarty and Greg Abbott
Little Tiger

This is a follow-up to Everybody’s Welcome by the same author and illustrator team.

Mouse is standing in the forest clearing near his home when he hears a lot of banging and crashing. It’s Stoat building a tall sturdy fence designed to keep Mouse out -“because you don’t belong” he tells the little creature.

Mouse doesn’t just accept this; he responds “Everybody’s equal, / I’m sure you will agree. / I’m as good as you / and you’re as good as me.” – a verse he repeats several times during the story.

He calls all his friends together to try and form a plan to make Stoat change his mind. This causes a squabble about electing a leader but Mouse knows just what to say to move things forward. Then suddenly as Stoat puts the finishing touches to his fence, he hears a cry for help. The house in which Mouse and his pals live, having built it together, has caught fire and the animals desperately need water.

However Stoat’s fence is blocking access to the river. Will he do the right thing so the other animals can get to the water that can put out the flames?

Happily yes; seemingly Stoat has seen the error of his ways and realised that as Mouse has been saying all along, everybody’s equal.

Patricia’s rhyming text reads aloud well and together with Greg Abbot’s woodland scenes in muted hues that use split pages to build up layers of the story, and that crucial die-cut , show that life is much more enjoyable when everybody is included in the fun.

Adult readers aloud will likely see some parallels with current events that are happening in the UK and other parts of the world. Young listeners will understand the importance of Mouse’s words about equality and inclusivity and one hopes apply them to their own lives.